Transfer student, need serious help

twoinanddone
Thu, 25 Jun 2015 16:00:55 +0000

When I lived in California, I brought home about 55% of my gross pay so I think your mother’s numbers are close. I maxed out my 401k, had a few insurance premiums, FICA, state taxes, federal taxes - eats it up pretty quickly. Your father may also be contributing to an IRA for your mother if she’s not working. Anyway, it is what it is and your financial situation is not unique in any way, except that your father makes more than average.

You are right to consider your options now. Go to the guidance office of the CC and ask for suggestions. They may know how to make it work at a San Diego school or an Orange County one (sounds like you live north of SD). An hour is not that far to commute in So. California. Even if you lived in SD it could take you 30-45 minutes to get to any school. You could plan to commute and then find something near campus if commuting didn’t work out. Sometimes there are jobs with lodging near schools - taking care of elderly people or doing yard work in exchange for room, nanny, house girl/boy in a sorority/frat, night watchman at a church, RA in a dorm. You need to think creatively.

Don’t spend your time wishing things were different. You have several choices of UC’s or CSU’s. UCSD may not be your dream school, but it is a good school and gets you where you need to be. Another option is to wait until you are 24 and independent from your parents for financial aid. At that point there might be more need based aid you’d be eligible for. Your choice to wait if you want a different school.

How about a job for yourself? You said only your father works. Do you?